Sign-receptacle.



C. D. PLATT.

SIGN RECEPTACLE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 10, 1914.

1,169,190, I Patented Jan. 25, 1916. I

lT/VESSES: I lNl/E/VTOI? 5 472 COL/r0 K V BY A TTOR/V E Y 7 UNTTED fiTATEfi PATENT CLARENCE D. PLATT, F BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

= SIGN-RECEPTACLE.

License.

To all "whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE D. PLATT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, county of Fairfield, State of Connecticut, have invented an Improvement in Sign-Receptacles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to receptacles for electric lamps of the type especially adapted for use in connection with sheet metal signs, in which the characters of the signs. are painted directly upon the sign plate or'are attached thereto, the characters being provided with holes at intervals and electric lamps inserted therein, to illuminate the sign, the arrangement of the lamps ordinarily conforming to the configuration of.

the characters. These signs are often very large'and as receptacles are ordinarily constructed the services of two workmen are required in attaching them to the plate, for the reason that one of the parts of the receptacle must be inserted from the back and others from the front.

T he object of my present invention is to produce a simple, inexpensive and thoroughly practical receptacle which can be turned to any required position and securely clamped to the sign plate to prevent further rotation and which shall require the services of but a single workman to attach the receptacles to the plate, to adjust them to any position required, to attach the line wires thereto and to clamp the assembled structures firmly to the sign plate, the work all being done from the back of the plate.

Importantfeatures of the present invention are that the use of spring rings, which do not hold the lamps securely. and the punching of additional holes for the purpose of attaching the receptacles by screws and nuts are avoided, and the cost of mounting the receptacles is greatly reduced, owing to the saving of time.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of-my novel receptacle as in use. the ca rs of the receptacle and the sign plate being in section; Fig. 53 a. front elevation showing the receptacle in place. as seen from the right in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 a corresponding rear elevation, as seen from the. left in Fig. 1. showing the line wires in place; Fig. 4 a view showing the holding clamp in engagement with a sign plate, the plate being in section; Fig. 5 an elevation of the holding Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 25, 1916.

Application filed August 10, 1914. Serial No. 855,978.

clamp detached, as seen from the right in Fig. 4; Fig. (i a front elevation of the receptacle detached, and Fig. 7 is a plan view corresponding with Fig. (l, the car being partly broken away.

10 denotes a plate, as for example the plate of an electric sign, which is provided with round holes 11. one only being shown, to receive lamp receptacles.

12 denotes a spring holding clamp, preferably made. substantially U-shaped and provided with lips 13 adapted to lie upon the front of the plate and with ears 1% lying parallel with the lips and at an appreciable distance therefrom. The holding clamp is preferably made from sheet steel and the lips and ears extend from the opposite edges thereof.

15 denotes the receptacle which is-providcd with the usual screw shell 16 and with a contact 17 adapted to be engaged by the center contact of an electric lamp. The reccptacle is also provided with ears 18 having threaded holes, with a circular shoulder 19 and with slightly tapering flattened sides 20 extending from the front end of the recep tacle past the shoulder, which is partly cut away on opposite sides, to the ears. The ears upon the receptacle are provided with slightly tapering sockets 21 which receive the ears upon the holding clamp. Attaching screws 22 pass through the ears on the receptacle and engage the ears upon the. holding clamp to lock the parts in place, as will presently be explained. The back of the receptacle is shown as provided with grooves 23 to receive the line. wires 24- which engage binding screws 25 in contact plates 26 in the. usual manner.

In use but one lineman is required who works from the back of the sign plate. The operation of mounting a receptacle is as follows: The holding clamp is snapped into the hole 11 with the lips upon the front of the sign plate and the body of the clamp and the ears on the back thereof. RVhen the holding clamp is once sprung into place in the holev it is self-retaining there and can not he removed without pinching the ends together, thus obviating danger of the holding clamps becoming detached and lost. The receptacle is then inserted from the back through the holding clamp and into the hole in the sign plate. the tapering flattened sides of the receptacle expanding the clamp slightly and retaining the receptacle in place. The attaching screws are then turned 7 loosely to place. As the sockets in the ears of the receptacle are made slightly tapering, the threaded holes in the ears upon the holding clainp necessarily aline themselves with the screws. Before tightening up the screws the receptacle is turned to the required position to receive the line wires, as in Fig. 3, and then the screws are tightened up to clamp the receptacle in place. It will be noted that the action of the attaching screws is to clamp the sign plate between the lips on the holding clamp and the shoulder on the receptacle and also to lock the ears upon the receptacle to the ears of the holding clamp, so that the receptacle will be held rigidly in place and will be locked against rotation.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: ii

lhe combination with a U -shaped spring holding clanip adapted to engage a hole in asign plate and having lips for engaging the front of the plate, and ears, of a receptacle having ears provided with tapering sockets adapted to receive the ears upon the clamp and center said ears and means for locking the ears of the receptacle to the ears of the clamp.

In testimony whereof I afiix in signature in presence of two witnesses.

CLAREXCE D. lLieTT.

Vitnesscs:

H. V. Minnie. E. M. Ci'nvlcn. 

